It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like
by NeverTickleASleepingDraco
Summary: Lily loves Christmas more than anything. Well, almost anything.


**DISCLAIMER:**The character names of Harry Potter are owned by J.K. Rowling. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by NeverTickleASleepingDraco, 2011. Please do not copy, reproduce, or****translate****without express written permission.***

"Lily! Come _on_!"

Lily Evans rolled her eyes, pulled on her maroon beanie, and jumped down the stairs to her living room, where her mother, father, and sister were all waiting patiently - well, two out of three were. Petunia was tapping her cutely booted foot impatiently.

It was Christmas Eve, and the Evans family was going to the local park for their show of Christmas lights. The lights were displayed all across the park showing various figures and motions. For instance, there was an elf riding a scooter, the twelve days of Christmas, and penguins having a snowball fight. There was a train that went through the park and through all the lights. On some nights, people volunteered and handed out cookies and hot chocolate. It was a lovely affair all together, and it was an Evans family tradition. Lily looked forward to it every year but Petunia, however, thought it was childish and absurd. Lily thought _Petunia_ was absurd. As was that whale she was dating, Vernon Dursley. Thank Merlin he wasn't coming with them tonight.

"Finally," Petunia scoffed.

"Pardon me, but I thought _you_were the one who didn't want to go tonight, Petunia."

"Girls," their father said calmly. "It's Christmas Eve. Can we please not start this?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, Dad." Petunia still looked like she had swallowed a whole lemon without its skin.

Petunia walked out the door to their Volkswagen Bug, followed by their mother, followed by Lily, who was followed by her father, who sighed.

The Evans drove out to the park in silence, tension thick. It was Lily who finally broke it. "I wish you all could see Hogwarts at Christmas." Petunia scoffed and Mrs. Evans gave her a look. "It's beautiful. There are twelve trees in the Great Hall all decorated differently. The suits of armour sing when you walk by, and decorations cover the corridors. When it snows, the gamekeeper's hut looks like a frosted cake." Lily realized she was in a trance. "It's quite beautiful," she continued, snapping out of her trance.

"I can tell," Mrs. Evans said, giggling softly.

"Ladies, look ahead! Christmas lights!" Mr. Evans pointed ahead and there they were! It was late out, so the only people there were couples and some groups of about five people. There was no one selling hot chocolate or cookies. No children laughing or playing on the swingset at night. It was still a beautiful and heartwarming scene.

Lily got out of the car as quick as she could and stood outside in the newly falling snow, waiting to run around and embrace her inner six-year-old. "Come on, you slowpokes! There's lights to see!" Mr. and Mrs. Evans hopped out of the car, laughing at their daughter's antics, and Petunia just rolled her eyes and followed reluctantly.

The snow was falling lightly and it got caught on her eyelashes and in her hair. Lily stuck her tongue out and caught snowflakes on it. Embracing her inner six-year-old, indeed.

~•~

"Jaaaaaames! Come _on_!"

James smirked, wound his red scarf around his neck, and walked as slowly as he could downstairs.

The Potters (and Sirius) had rented a nice house in a Muggle village for the holidays. Mr. and Mrs. Potter had said that their mansion was too big and empty for just four people, so they decided that they wanted a good old Muggle Christmas this year.

"Merlin, James! What the bloody hell took you so long?" Sirius groaned like a six-year-old waiting for Christmas, which – add eleven years – he was.

"Nothing. I just wanted to keep you waiting." James grinned as Sirius grumbled obscenities under his breath. They were going to a local park that had displays of Christmas lights up. They wanted to go late at night, so that almost no one would be there to ruin their fun.

"I'm here, I'm here, let's go!" James said and they walked out the door into the lightly falling snow. He kept walking and left Sirius in the dust, absolutely confused.

"Oi! Mate, I thought we were apparating?" They were going to use side apparition, seeing as James turned seventeen in March. Sirius had already become of age.

"Nah. I'd rather enjoy the snow and lights. It is Christmas Eve after all." James sighed contentedly and saw his breath puff out in the air. "Come on, Black."

They walked their way to the park (only a few blocks) talking about their gifts tomorrow and the food they were going to eat, and eventually talking about a feisty redhead they knew.

"You still aren't giving up on her, are you Prongs?"

"No. I don't think I'll ever be able to get over her. If she doesn't accept me, I'll probably die alone," James joked. Sirius barked out a laugh, and James ran a hand through his hair, getting rid of the snowflakes but already getting new ones.

"Why do you chase after her so much anyway?"

James stuffed his hands in his pockets, hunching his shoulders and looking at the ground. "Merlin, Padfoot. Probably because...well there's a lot of reasons. She's beautiful, she's smart, she's nice to everyone...well, most everyone. She helps first and second years. She's...her eyes are just...wow." James's eyes got a sort of glazed look over them.

"Prongs, my mate," Sirius threw an arm over his shoulder, "You got it bad."

"Yeah...I know."

~•~

Lily had gotten a fancy for wizard photography, so a few months ago, during the summer, she had gotten a camera and Do It Yourself Wizard Photography book. She was alright at it. Not a professional, but at least she could get the pictures to move smoothly!

"Mum! Could you take a picture of me really quick? No, just click the button. Ready?" Mrs. Evans nodded, and Lily posed very strangely, making faces.

Mrs. Evans laughed, taking the picture. Lily smiled and took the camera from her mother. "Thanks, Mum. Come on! Dad and Tuney are already miles ahead of us!"

"No more candy for you," Mrs. Evans joked, but she followed her eccentric daughter nonetheless.

A little ways ahead, Lily could just make out a pair of boys having a snowball fight. The streetlight hit them so that it shadowed their faces, but outlined their heads, and you could see the snow falling. Lily raised her camera to her face and a bright flash emanated throughout the park. The pair of boys turned toward the flash, but before they could see her, or vice versa, Lily ran off toward her family.

~•~

"Prongs, what do you think that was?" Sirius paused his snowballing and stood up to look James in the eye. Said boy was looking off in the direction of the flash, looking as though he was in deep thought, which he was. "Prongs? Mate?" Sirius snapped his fingers in front of James's face and he quickly looked toward his best mate.

"Sorry. Were you saying something?"

"Yeah. I asked if you knew what that was."

"I think it was a camera flash."

"So you think someone was taking a picture of us?"

James rolled his eyes. "No, Sirius. They were sunbathing." Sarcasm oozed from his voice.

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck. "Right. I knew that..." James chuckled lightly, even though he wasn't listening to the conversation. "Prongs! Look, who was that? You obviously have an idea."

"Well, I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure I saw some red hair." James ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"You think it was Lily?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, she went home for Christmas and she is muggleborn." He shrugged his shoulders in a "I suppose so" kind of way.

"Yeah, I guess. Forget about it for now." Sirius then chucked a ball of snow the size of a softball that hit James straight in the face.

"Oh, you're getting it now!" James picked up two huge handfuls of snow, chased after Sirius, and dropped them down his back.

"Git!"

~•~

"Mum! Look over here!"

There it was. Her absolute favorite light display: a dinosaur with a Santa hat.

As she ran over there, she saw the figure of two boys pointing up at the light display. As she drew nearer, she heard one of them mutter, "The things these Muggles come up with..."

Her stomach did a little flip flop as she recognized the voice. She stood a little ways to the side so they couldn't see her. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

The two boys jumped and spun around to face her.

"Lily?" one of them answered incredulously.

"Happy Christmas to you too, Black." Lily grinned and walked closer to her fellow Head Boy and Sirius. She saw James elbow Sirius in the gut and mutter something like "I told you so."

"Hey Lily," James said, ruffling his hair again.

"'Lo, James! What on earth are you doing here of all places?"

James stepped forward. "My parents thought it would be a good idea to spend Christmas in a Muggle town this year."

"And it just so happened to be this town?" Lily asked, jokingly.

"I - I uh...well, you see..." James stuttered, totally flustered. His cheeks were tinted red. Of course, that might've been because of the snow.

"James...I'm joking."

"Oh, uh, right." James once again ran his hand through his already unruly hair.

Sirius pointed one way with his thumb. "I need to go...uh...feed my cat! Yes! Fluffy! I'm coming to feed you!" Sirius ran off yelling his "cat's" name.

"Did he just - ?"

"Yeah."

"Right." Lily's stomach felt like it was on steroids. Suddenly being left alone with James on Christmas Eve in a park was kind of overwhelming. Lily sighed.

"Do you wanna go for a walk?" James asked suddenly.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." Lily had come to an epiphany about two months ago. She'd come to the realization that she fancied James Potter. It was legitimately shocking. Lily went practically comatose for about three days after the realization, and had tried avoiding James at all times.

But now, she wasn't scared to be around him. She actually kind of liked it. Lily hooked her arm in the crook of James's elbow and together they started walking along the train track. "So, why did your parents decide to have Christmas in a Muggle town again?"

"Well, you know how we're pretty rich – " Lily snorted in a very unladylike way. _That_ was the understatement of the year. "And we live in a big house –" That too was an understatement. "So my mum thought we would rent a house in a Muggle neighborhood and spend Christmas the non-magical way."

Lily was amazed. She figured that James's mother was rather strict and sort of snobby – a stereotypical rich woman. What she hadn't thought about was that Mrs. Potter was someone who liked Muggles and their ways, and that she would rather spend Christmas in a Muggle neighborhood than a towering mansion. Lily was rather impressed.

"Lily? You seem deep in thought."

"Oh, I was, I guess. It's nothing." They passed under a sort of tunnel that alternated red and green lights. Lily gazed up at the arches.

"You really love Christmas, don't you?" James inquired, quirking up an eyebrow. Lily wished she could do that.

"Of course I do! It's my favorite holiday! All the lights and carols and cheer...it's all wonderful. Plus the church services are so lifting." She sighed in contentment and saw her breath gather in a white cloud in the air. Closing her eyes, she said, "It's beautiful."

"I can think of something else even more beautiful." James's voice interrupted her thoughts and she opened her eyes, turning her head to face him. His hazel eyes were burning straight into hers. She blushed fiercely. Thank Merlin it was cold!

Damn.

James hadn't meant to say that! He was having a wonderful time with her and now he had ruined it thanks to his big stupid mouth. She was probably going to yell at him and call him a git – or worse, a _toerag_. He'd been good the whole school year, not even asking her out! James cursed under his breath. "Lily, I'm sorry. It just sort of slipped out. Please don't yell at me!"

They stopped right in front of the twelve days of Christmas (ten lords a leaping). Snow had been falling the whole time, and James's hair was coated in a layer of white, seeing as he hadn't run his hand through his locks in a while. The snow made his hair lay flat and Lily didn't like it one bit. She reached up and tousled his hair with her hand. Stepping closer to him, she took her fingerless-gloved hand and ran it down until it cupped James's face. "I'm not going to yell at you." Hazel stared into green as James put one hand on Lily's waist and one cupping her cheek. Lily moved her hands until they wrapped themselves in his scarf. She pulled on it until her face was centimeters from his.

This was it. She was going to do it. She was going to kiss the boy she'd fancied for two months now, at last. She'd waited, knowing that at some point he would ask her out, or make a cheesy pick-up line. But he never did. He never asked her out or made the cheesy pick-up line. He'd matured over the summer, taking his Head Boy duties seriously.

This was it. James was going to do it. He was going to kiss the girl he'd loved since third year, at last. He had waited this year. No more asking her out or making cheesy pick-up lines. He wanted her to make her own decision, and it was only three months into the school year and she finally was!

Lily couldn't take the waiting anymore and their lips met in a warm kiss that made her tingly all over, heating her until she could no longer feel the cold. Her fingers somehow found their way to his hair. It felt fantastic to finally get to run her hands through it.

James was ecstatic when Lily finally joined their lips. Both of his arms snaked their way around her waist pulling her to his person. Her body seemed like it was made perfectly to fit his body, like a puzzle piece. It felt fantastic to have her finally pressed against him.

As the broke away, they heard a distant (but not too distant), "YES!" Lily giggled as James turned toward the sound. "Go home, Sirius!" he said, projecting his voice.

They heard a faint, "Bloody wanker," and heard Sirius's feet crunching against the snow.

James turned back toward her. "Now, where were we?" He gave her a kiss, but before it could get any further, Lily broke away, leaning her forehead against his.

"I should go. My parents have already left me, it looks like." And she was right. There wasn't a single car in the parking lot. Not even an old-fashioned blue Volkswagen.

"I'll walk you home, if you like." Lily grinned, grabbed his hand and they walked home in silence, simply enjoying each other's company.

~•~

Lily opened her eyes to a most unusual sight.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

James and Sirius were leaning over her, grinning like madmen. She sat up and they moved before they could all bonk heads. She hadn't noticed the fezzes on their heads. "What on earth do you have on your head?"

James looked surprised that she didn't yell. "It's a fez."

Sirius finished his sentence for him. "We wear fezzes now."

"Yes, because fezzes are cool," Lily added sarcastically.

James said, "They are!" at the same time Sirius said, "Don't diss the fez!"

Lily rolled her eyes good naturedly and asked, "Now. What the bloody hell are you doing here? It's," she looked at her clock, "ten o'clock. Oh."

"We already opened our presents!" Sirius exclaimed. He sounded like a puppy who'd just gotten a full plate of meat.

"We decided to come over so you could get your present from me," James informed her since the last answer did little to unconfuse her mind.

"You got me a present?" She was shocked. Last night when she got home, she'd been bombarded with questions. After she'd answered them, she rushed upstairs with her camera and finished the pictures she'd taken last night. She planned on giving James the one of him and Sirius having the snowball fight.

"Well yeah. I planned on giving it to you when we got back to school. But seeing as I know where you live now and you won't yell at me anymore, I'd just give it to you now!" He grinned as if he found out he'd just won a year's supply of pranks.

He pulled out a rectangular gift with a red bow and handed it to her. Lily took it from him warily. "Can I open it now?"

"No, Lily, you have to open it on New Years," Sirius cracked.

She sent him a look and unwrapped the gift. Inside was a red leather book with the Hogwarts symbol on the middle of the cover. She opened it and each page was empty. "It's a photo album," said James. "I knew that you'd taken up photography so I got it for you. I hope you like it."

"I love it, James. Thank you." She leaned forward and gave James a kiss. Her heart fluttered and she didn't think she'd ever get tired of that. "I have something for you too. It's not much." She leaned over to her drawer and opened the top compartment, revealing a bunch of moving pictures. She pulled out the one of the snowball fight and handed it to him.

Apparently she'd given him two photos instead of one. "Nice faces, Lils." Her cheeks burned in embarrassment at the mention of her making faces at the camera.

"Oh Merlin's pants! I meant to give you just the snowball fight one!"

"Can I keep both?"

"Uhm, yeah sure. I guess so. If you really want it."

He kissed her quickly and all of her embarrassment quickly disappeared. When he pulled away, she muttered, "Merry Christmas, James."

"Merry Christmas, Lily."

~•~

**MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

**It's a bit late...but better late than never right?**

**I finished this in three days :D This makes me ridiculously happy. I started this the night before Christmas Eve, so can you blame me for being late? :D**

**I hope you guys had a Merry Christmas (or Hanukkah...or Kwanzaa, whichever) nad have a happy New Year...unless you're Chinese and celebrate it later…**

**Love it? Hate it? Let me know!**

**Hannah. x**


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